Commonwealth of Massachusetts
OFFICE OF JURY COMMISSIONER
GRAND JUROR
INSTRUCTIONS
AND
INFORMATION

Our jury system is fundamental
to the fair administration of jus-
tice in the Commonwealth. By
responding to your summons -
whether or not you are eligible to
serve - you are contributing to
the cause of
justice and the
preservation of our democracy.
Thank you for your participation.

- Chief Justice Kimberly Budd
Supreme Judicial Court

Information About:

Completing the Juror Confirmation Form

Qualifications and Disqualifications

Parents, Students, Self-Employed Jurors

Deferments

Accessibility

Compensation

......

YOU CAN GET

MORE INFORMATION AT
www.MAjury.gov

A G E

If you are 70 or older, you may choose to serve or not.
If
you choose not to serve, please complete the Grand Juror
Confirmation Form online, or by mail as follows: #2A: fill
in Circle 2.
#2B: provide your date of birth. #7: sign your
name, and mail. If you are under 18, follow the same pro-
cedure but fill in Circle 3.

H E A L T H
If you are ill or disabled, you may request a deferment of your
date of service or request to be disqualified from service. If
you seek disqualification, please see REASONS for
DISQUALIFICATION, REASON 9 on the other side of this
brochure.

F E L O N Y C O N V I C T I O N
If you have been convicted of a felony within the last 7
years, or are currently charged with a felony, or are
presently in the custody of a correctional
institution,
please see REASONS FOR DISQUALIFICATION, REASON
7 on the other side of this brochure. If you were convicted
more than 7 years ago, you are eligible to serve.

A C C E S S I B I L I T Y
The Trial Court and the Office of Jury Commissioner are
committed to making the courts accessible to all.
Accessibility includes the right and the obligation to per-
Please visit our website
perform jury service.
at www.MAjury.gov and click on "Accessibility"
for
more information. You can
at
us
JurorHelp@jud.state.ma.us, or 1-800-THE-JURY (843-
5879), (cid:37)(cid:70)(cid:66)(cid:71)(cid:1) (cid:66)(cid:79)(cid:69)(cid:1)(cid:73)(cid:66)(cid:83)(cid:69)(cid:1)(cid:80)(cid:71)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:73)(cid:70)(cid:66)(cid:83)(cid:74)(cid:79)(cid:72)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:68)(cid:66)(cid:77)(cid:77)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:84) (cid:68)(cid:66)(cid:79)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:68)(cid:80)(cid:79)(cid:85)(cid:66)(cid:68)(cid:85)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:86)(cid:84)
(cid:70)(cid:74)(cid:85)(cid:73)(cid:70)(cid:83) (cid:85)(cid:73)(cid:83)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:72)(cid:73)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:85)(cid:73)(cid:70)(cid:74)(cid:83) (cid:1)(cid:81)(cid:83)(cid:70)(cid:71)(cid:71)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:70)(cid:69)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:55)(cid:74)(cid:69)(cid:70)(cid:80)(cid:1)(cid:51)(cid:70)(cid:77)(cid:66)(cid:90)(cid:1)(cid:52)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:87)(cid:74)(cid:68)(cid:70)(cid:1)(cid:9)(cid:55)(cid:51)(cid:52)(cid:10)
(cid:81)(cid:83)(cid:80)(cid:87)(cid:74)(cid:69)(cid:70)(cid:83)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:80)(cid:83)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:87)(cid:74)(cid:66)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:53)(cid:53)(cid:58)(cid:16)(cid:53)(cid:37)(cid:37)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:85)(cid:80)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:85)(cid:73)(cid:70) (cid:1)(cid:46)(cid:66)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:66)(cid:68)(cid:73)(cid:86)(cid:84)(cid:70)(cid:85)(cid:85)(cid:84) (cid:1)(cid:51)(cid:70)(cid:77)(cid:66)(cid:90)
(cid:52)(cid:70)(cid:83)vice (cid:66)(cid:85) (cid:24)(cid:18)(cid:18)(cid:15)(cid:1)(cid:42)(cid:71)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:90)(cid:80)(cid:86)(cid:1)(cid:83)(cid:70)(cid:82)(cid:86)(cid:74)(cid:83)(cid:70)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:66)(cid:79)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:39)(cid:46)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:34)(cid:84)(cid:84)(cid:74)(cid:84)(cid:85)(cid:74)(cid:87)(cid:70)(cid:1)(cid:1)(cid:45)(cid:74)(cid:84)(cid:85)(cid:70)(cid:79)(cid:74)(cid:79)(cid:72)
(cid:37)(cid:70)(cid:87)(cid:74)(cid:68)(cid:70)(cid:13) (cid:81)(cid:77)(cid:70)(cid:66)(cid:84)(cid:70) (cid:68)(cid:80)(cid:78)(cid:81)(cid:77)(cid:70)(cid:85)(cid:70) (cid:4)(cid:22)(cid:1)(cid:80)(cid:79) (cid:85)(cid:73)(cid:70)(cid:1)(cid:43)(cid:86)(cid:83)(cid:80)(cid:83) (cid:36)(cid:80)(cid:79)(cid:71)(cid:74)(cid:83)(cid:78)(cid:66)(cid:85)(cid:74)(cid:80)(cid:79) (cid:39)(cid:80)(cid:83)(cid:78)(cid:15)

also contact

F O R M O R E I N F O R M A T I O N . . .
…be sure to review ALL of the information contained in
this summons packet: this brochure, the summons, and
the Grand Juror’s Handbook. Most of our frequently-
asked questions are answered here. You can get more
information on our website at www.MAjury.gov or by call-
ing us at 1-800-THE-JURY (843-5879)
(within Mass-
achusetts only) or 617-338-6409 (out-of-state callers
only). The OJC takes calls M-F, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM, and
pre-recorded information is always available. You can e-
mail us at JurorHelp@jud.state.ma.us, or write to us at:

OFFICE OF JURY COMMISSIONER
560 HARRISON AVENUE, SUITE 600
BOSTON, MA 02118

 

 

 

You can also visit our website at
www.MAjury.gov

Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S

To be a juror, you must be a U.S.
citizen, 18 years of age or older, and speak
and understand English.

You must live in the county in which you
have been called to serve, and you cannot
have served in the last 3 years.

Please review the
Reasons For Disqualification
on the back for more information.

W H A T I S A G R A N D J U R Y
The grand jury hears evidence presented by a prosecutor.
It does not determine guilt or innocence, but instead it
determines if there is enough evidence to indict or charge
a person or corporation with a crime. A grand jury consists
of 23 people as compared with the 6 or 12 people who
comprise a trial
jury. The length of grand juror service
varies and depends upon the number of pending criminal
matters that are brought before it. A grand jury usually sits
sporadically for 3 months, meeting as often as required.
Scheduling varies from county to county.

C O U R T L O C A T I O N
Because grand juries are convened at only one site within
each judicial district, grand jurors may not change their
court location.

D E F E R M E N T
If you have a hardship, you may request deferment of your
date of service to a different date within 12 months of your
originally scheduled date. To request a deferment, com-
plete Section 3A of the Grand Juror Confirmation Form or
the appropriate section of the Form online. Prospective
grand jurors may request deferment of their service to
either January, April, July, or October (most grand juries
are convened only during those months). You must pro-
vide a detailed explanation of your hardship.

M A P & D I R E C T I O N S
You will receive a map and directions to the courthouse
about ten days before you are to serve. Maps, directions,
and other information about your courthouse are also avail-
able online.

C O M P E N S A T I O N
By law, your Massachusetts employer must pay you for
work hours you miss during the first three days of jury
service. This applies to all employees: full-time, part-time,
temporary and casual. Failure to compensate employees
is a crime. Please consult with your employer regarding its
compensation policy and complete the enclosed CONFI-
DENTIAL FINANCIAL QUESTIONNAIRE on the other side
of this brochure so that the amount of compensation you
receive from the Commonwealth (maximum of $50 per day)
for each day after your 3rd day of service may be deter-
mined.

R E S I D E N T S / I N H A B I T A N T S / STUDENTS
Regardless of whether you are a registered voter, you are
qualified to serve if you are a resident of a county OR an
inhabitant of a county for more than 50% of the time.
Examples:
(1) Students who study in Massachusetts
(inhabitants) must serve, even if they are residents of
another state;
Students who live in one
Massachusetts county (residents) but study in another
(inhabitants) can be summoned to serve in either county;
(3) Massachusetts residents who study out of state must
serve in their home county when they return to
Massachusetts.

(2)

S T U D E N T S / P A R E N T S / C H I L D C A R E
There are no exemptions from grand jury service.
Everyone is eligible, including students and parents of
young children. Only a judge can excuse you from service
If you are seeking to be excused for hard-
for hardship.
ship, you must report to the courthouse on your scheduled
date of service and speak with a judge. Remember: you
can postpone your service for up to a year to minimize
conflicts with your academic schedule, childcare respon-
sibilities, or other personal issues.

S E L F - E M P L O Y E D
There are no occupational exemptions from jury service.
Everyone is eligible, including the self-employed. Only a
judge can excuse you from service for hardship. If you are
seeking to be excused for hardship, you must report to
the courthouse on your scheduled date of service and
speak with a judge. You can request a deferment of your
service to minimize conflicts with your schedule.

A F E W T H I N G S T O K N O W A B O U T G R A N D J U RY D U T Y. . .

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O F F I C E O F J U RY C O M M I S S I O N E R F O R T H E C O M M O N W E A LT H O F M A S S A C H U S E T T S
C O N F I D E N T I A L F I N A N C I A L Q U E S T I O N N A I R E

Insert Your
BADGE# here:

___________________________________

You must fill out this form and
bring it with you when you
appear at the courthouse.

- On the first day you appear, the court will determine how much you will be paid as a grand juror (starting on the 4th
day). For your first three days of service, your employer must pay your regular wages for work hours missed. Your daily
compensation from the court CANNOT be more than your regular daily wage.
- If your employer pays less than your regular daily wage while you are on grand jury duty, the Commonwealth will con-
tribute a maximum of $50 per day, which includes mileage beyond your usual travel expenses.
- Unemployed jurors are paid $50 per day by the Commonwealth from the 4th day of service on.
- If the information provided below changes at any time during your grand juror service, you must inform the court imme-
diately.
- You must complete the questionnaire below and sign it under the penalties of perjury.

Are you employed? YES NO (check one)

1a.

If “YES”,

STOP HERE and answer #2 below.

If “NO”,

Please indicate the daily amount of travel, childcare, and out-of-pocket
expenses (excluding meals) you will incur for the first 3 days of service
(up to $50 per day). Next, skip #2 and complete #3 below.

If you are employed, please provide the name and address of your employer:

______________________________________________________________________________________

2b. Please check and complete only ONE of the sections below:

1

1b.

2a.

2

or

I am being paid in full by my employer for the entire term of grand jury service
and am not required to turn in any monies I receive from the court. Therefore, I
am only eligible to be compensated by the Commonwealth for any excess
travel expenses at 32 cents per mile, which equals ------------------------------>

I am not being paid in full by my employer after the 3rd day
of grand juror service, or I am required to turn in monies I
receive from the court. I am therefore eligible to receive a
maximum of $50 per day from the Commonwealth as long
as the total amount I will receive from both does not exceed
my regular daily wage.

My regular daily
wage is:

Amount I will be
paid by my
employer is:

3 Date: _____/_____/_____ Signature of Juror (do not print): ______________________________________________

_______________, ss.
PURSUANT TO THE PROVISION OF MASSACHUSETTS GENERAL LAWS, CHAPTER 234A, SECTION 53,
AND BASED UPON INFORMATION PROVIDED ABOVE, I FIND THAT THE ABOVE NAMED GRAND JUROR
SHOULD BE COMPENSATED BY THE COMMONWEALTH IN THE AMOUNT OF

For Office Use Only -

_________________, 20______

PER DAY FOR THE FOURTH DAY AND ALL SUBSEQUENT DAYS OF GRAND JUROR SERVICE.

$___________.______

ATTEST: __________________________________
JUSTICE

A blank copy of this form, suitable for printing, is available online at www.MAjury.gov

R E A S O N S f o r D I S Q U A L I F I C AT I O N

Please read through these Disqualifications before completing the Grand Juror Confirmation Form, even if
you believe you are qualified.

Respond Online: Complete the Juror Confirmation Form online at www.MAjury.gov. Your Badge
Number, PIN, and ZIP Code located on your summons, will be required to log in.J

Respond by Mail: You must provide details at #2A
and #2B on the Juror Confirmation Form.

These are the disqualifications allowed by law. Please fill in the circle at #2A on the
Grand Juror Confirmation Form that corresponds to the number listed below.
(Example: if you are under 18, fill in the circle marked “3” at #2A, and write your birth date at #2B)

REASON 1:
YOU ARE NOT A U.S. CITIZEN
Provide your alien card identification number, visa status,
or any other pertinent information.

REASON 2:
YOU ARE AGE 70 OR OLDER & CHOOSE NOT TO SERVE
Provide your date of birth.

REASON 3:
YOU ARE UNDER AGE 18

Provide your date of birth.

REASON 4:
YOU CANNOT SPEAK AND UNDERSTAND ENGLISH

Provide your primary language.

REASON 5:
YOU HAVE MOVED PERMANENTLY OUTSIDE THE COUNTY
Provide your new address.

REASON 6:
YOU ARE LIVING FULL-TIME OUTSIDE OF THE COUNTY
AND WILL NOT RETURN AT ANY TIME FOR MORE THAN 1
YEAR
Provide a brief explanation, e.g., active military service,
medical internship. Include your out-of-state address.

REASON 7:
YOU WERE CONVICTED OF A FELONY WITHIN THE PAST 7
YEARS, OR ARE CURRENTLY CHARGED WITH A FELONY,
OR ARE CURRENTLY IN CUSTODY
Provide the specific charge and date of conviction, if
applicable. If in doubt, check with the court to learn if
your charge or conviction was for a felony or a misde-
meanor.

REASON 8:
YOU APPEARED FOR JURY SERVICE WITHIN THE PAST 3
YEARS, OR ARE CURRENTLY SCHEDULED FOR JUROR
SERVICE ON ANOTHER SUMMONS
Provide the date(s) and place(s) of prior or currently
scheduled jury service. Note: This does not include
jurors who were previously summoned but were can-
celled by mail or phone and were not required to appear
at court.

REASON 9:
YOU ARE PHYSICALLY OR MENTALLY INCAPABLE
OF PERFORMING JURY DUTY
Provide a note from a doctor or Christian Science Practitioner
describing the nature of your illness or disability. The note
must (1) be written on letterhead and include your Badge
Number; (2) state the nature of the disability (the specific
diagnosis or condition is not required); and (3) include the
physician's opinion that such disability prevents you from
rendering satisfactory jury service. If the disability is perma-
nent, the note must include the physician's opinion that the
disability will permanently prevent you from rendering satis-
factory jury service. Guidelines: A person shall be capable
of performing jury duty if he or she can perform a sedentary
job requiring close attention for 6 hours a day, with breaks in
the morning and afternoon, for 3 consecutive days.

REASON 10:
YOU ARE THE PRIMARY CAREGIVER FOR A PERMANENTLY
DISABLED PERSON WHO IS A MEMBER OF THE SAME HOUSE-
HOLD
Provide a note from a doctor or Christian Science Practitioner
describing the kind of care you provide and the doctor's
opinion on the risk to the health of the disabled person if you
are absent.

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